That Never Happened, A Secret Circle Story
by Dustfinger's cheering section
Summary: Story is currently on hold. May be taken down or revised soon. Or adopted by another author if interest is expressed.
1. Chapter 1

I own nothing. This Story is the property of L.J. Smith.

Okay. So, this is a little one-shot I have wanted to write for about two months. Now, I finally have the time and hope you love is a scene from "The Captive Part II", the one where Cassie goes to try and ask Nick to the dance again.

I always thought she gave in too easy, so this is what would have happened if she had kept her wits about her. This is about page 43, if you have the split version. I f you have the whole version, then I have no idea. Sorry.

Okay, the first part is an exerpt, I'll tell you when it ends.:

**_The day before Halloween she walked up to Nick's garage again._**

**_The skeleton-car looked just the same. It's entire engine was out, restion on a sort of bottomless table made of pipes. Nick was underneath the table._**

**_Cassie knew better than to ask him what he was doing this time. She saw him see her feet, saw his gaze travel up._**

**_Then he scooted out from under the table and stood up._**

**_His dark hair was spiky with sweat, and he wiped his forehead with the back of a greasy hand. He didn't say anything, just stood there looking at her._**

**_Cassie didn't give herself time to think. Focusing all her attention on an oil stain on his T-shirt, she said rapidly, "Are you going to the Halloween dance tomorrow?"_**

**_There was a long, long silence. Cassie stared at the oil stain while Nick stared at her face._**

**_ She could smell rubber and warm metal as well as grease and a faint hint of gasoline, She felt as if she were hanging suspended in the air._**

**_Then Nick said, "No."_**

**_Everything came crashing down. Cassie felt it, and for some reason she was suddenly able to look Nick in the face again._**

***********Here is where I pick up*******************************************************************

"Then I should be going," Cassie said shakily, as the embarrassment burned through her. She turned to go, intending to wake a quick get away.

"Wait!" Nick shouted, trying to come after her. "If I knew that was how you were going to react, I would've put it better."

"I don't care how you want to put it. Good bye," Cassie replied. She was almost to the end of the drive way, then she could run.

"This is about Conant, isn't it? Look, you should know, he is never gonna look your way, he is way too in love with Diana to ever look at anyone else. So, trying to use me to make him jealous won't work." Nick panted.

She reached the end of the driveway and started home with Nick catching up.

"This has nothing to do with Adam! Diana is like a sister to me! How dare you propose me trying to get Adam! An why the hell are you following me?! Go away Nick, you only make things worse!" She kept walking, hoping he would go away.

"I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. I'm just trying to look out for you. When should I pick you up?" Nick said, trying his hardest to make amends.

"Pick me up for what?" Cassie retorted angrily.

"Why, the Halloween dance of course." Nick said, mock bowing, turning on his charm.

"One reason I should go with you. Cause, I've got nothing," Cassie said, this argement had tired her out. "**_You_** asked _**Me**_, remember?", Nick said, the smile clear in his voice, if not on his face.

She opened the door to her house and walked away, heading to the stairs. It was easy to see no one was home. The house seemed deserted. Nick took all this in this a hidden grin. He marched up the stairs after her, following his moment of hesitation. Today felt like a wonderful day to stop.

When he got upstairs, she was lying on her bed, face down. He took a moment to observe her, before her pounced gracefully on the end, turned her over, and kissed her senseless.

For Cassie, the shock was sudden, and her body went on instinct before her mind could take back control. She was kissing him back, hard. She pressed her body to his, deepening the kiss, curling her hands into his hair. All the while Nick had been winding his arms around her waist, with no intention of letting go.

After ward, neither of them could say how long they kissed for.

After they had finished, Cassie led Nick to the door, and just before it closed, Nick pushed it open again, kissed her sondly, and pulled back only a hairbreadth away to whisper, his lips still brushing hers, "What time should I pick you up?"

She pulled back with a jerk. Cassie remembered why they had been fighting and slapped him across the face.

Anyone could see it had hurt, but his smile was just the same as he asked again,"So, when am I picking you up?"

Instead of slapping him again she laughed and said,"I'm not going to be able to get rid of you, am I?".

His grin widened as he pulled her closer again, "Nope."

"Eight then. Oh, and that never happened", she said with a wink and a grin, before closing the door on him.

He smiled and shook his head. "I won't forget," he whispered to the door. Then he turned around and went home, smiling like an idiot. He would get her one day, it just won't be this day.

**The End!**

**Okay. Who loves it? I know it is a little Out Of Character, but I just could not pass up the opportunity. I may turn this into a full flegded version of how i think the story **

**should have went. If at least twelve people ask for it, I'll try and write it. Note how I say TRY. School is getting harder right now, so I may not be able to update **

**alot. PLease go look at my other stuff, I have not gotten a review in forever, so please do. I write for the readers, so please read. **

I hope you like it.

LOt's Of Love,

Infinite Good Karma,

Good Luck,

Fly High,

Tricia.

P.s. I Love Reviews! I Love REviewers!


	2. YOU KNOW YOU WANTED IT!

**_DIsclaimer: I do not own Cassie or Nick or The Chair, Or the Window. In short, I only own My bright Yellow Plaid Pajamma Pants._**

**_This is for you! Hope it was all you wanted it to be. Ten Reviews for the next chapter._**

As I went to bed later that night, all I think of was his face, the feel of his lips on mine, how his haired smelled.

How did this happen?

This morning it was all I could do to not jump Adam, but now, I think a stronger attraction has replaced it.

I shifted in bed, the moon was so bright, calling to me. And the air through my open window smelled sweeter than

ever before. I sighed, then took a deep breath to prepare myself for the chilly wood floor.

I made the decision almost unconsciously, to go outside, and feel the night around me.

As my feet touched the floor, I wondered where I was intending to go. Diana would be asleep, so would everyone else.

I walked to the foot of my bed, and threw on my converse, not bothering with socks. then I headed over to my dresser,

upon which my hairbrush was resting. "Oh, why not?" I muttered softly, and raised the brush to my tresses.

I almost put my hair up, but then decided against it. I loved the feel of ocean breeze through my hair, who doesn't?

My door opened with a muffled creak, as though the door was trying not to break this wonderful I was in.

I walked down the long hallway, toward the steep stairs. The moonlight was fighting it's way in, tooth and nail,

all the while calling slowly, begging me to walk into it. I'm coming, don't worry, I replied silently in my mind.

As I reached the front door, it occurred to me that nights here were cooler than those back home,

but when the door opened, I felt only the pleasure of the breeze, it seemed the night air was not in

the mood to bite.

As I reached the end of the drive way, a pulling began, one that was as foreign

to me as the embrace Nick and I shared scarce hours before.

It was as thought a new cord was pulling me, not one of silver, but of gold, stronger, purer, far more tempting.

I knew then that I could never ignore Nick as I had been Adam, for the pain of it would surely be beyond terrible.

My breath came quicker now, and I admit I started to run. I felt like a child caught in the rain,

as if I could go anywhere, do anything, if only I was fast enough. So was my happiness to be so.

Wings seemed to sprout on my back carrying me all the faster, the thrill of simple pleasure coursing through me.

As I slowed, I took stock of my surroundings, studying them in the dark, trying to make heads or tails of it.

For everyone knows, the world always looks different by moonlight.

I was outside Nick's House. A smile filled my face at that revelation. Maybe I should visit him?

I walked around the perimeter, glad for the shadows that cloaked me now, yet filled

with regret as the clouds hungrily devoured the full moon. It seemed as if it's appearence was

only to guide me, to lure me from my safe home, and my restless bed.

I found Nick's window in no time, although no one had ever pointed it out to me,

I just had a sense he was the one behind the curtained glass. It helped that he was on the ground floor,

because I could never have gotten into a window higher up.

I knelt just under the window and tried to get a glimpse of what lay inside. I could see nothing.

"All well. Here goes nothing", my voice was low and faint in the trembling night.

What if it's locked? I thought, honestly alarmed. It's not, some inner part of my brain reassured.

I was calmed instantly, and tried to move the glass with finger tips, and nothing happened.

Then I pressed against it with my palms and amazingly, the glass aside with no resistance.

That was much easier than I ever imagined! I gloated in my mind. Oh, no, the logical part of me

said as soon as it registered this, how do you intend to get through said window? I don't know yet,

I sighed dramatically in my mind. Then the moon came out again, and the light fell on a chair in the

shadows, a black, metal one I had not yet noticed. That's how! What do you know anyway, Brain?

I lifted the chair, and felt it's weight against me. The metal was so cold! I barely got the chair under

the window before it's weight became too much. I then carefully stood on top of the chair, and pushed

the offending draips out of the way, hoping beyond hope I had the right window.

Then I saw him, resting peacefully on a bed that was right below the window.

I was at a loss, my brain was angry and refused to help me with this one.

"Nick? Nick? Please wake up? For me?" I asked lowly, and kept my voice soft.

I both wanted him to wake up, but was afraid at the prospect.

Dispite my gentle tone, he shot up like a bullet, looking as if he wanted to believe I was there,

But also afraid to believe if I wasn't.

"Hi", I said softly. I waited what felt like a full minute before I gave up.

"I guess I should go" I murmured, rejection shooting through me, hot and painful.

I started to pull back out, because my feet were still on the chair, when he stopped me.

"No!", he gasped out, putting a hand on my arm and pulling me in the rest of the way,

carefully and softly, as if I was made of glass.

**_Hahhahahahahahhahah! I know I'm Evil, Leaving you with a cliffhanger like that. But, I have always wanted to do That, And now i get to._**

**_Thank you to all of the reviewers, it is an honor to be wanted, to write for your enjoyment._**

**_Right now this has no plot, I need you all to understand this. I never thought any of you would actually want me to continue, So I had no plans._**

**_I'm basing this chapter and the next off a dream I had a couple months ago. I almost wrote a Nick&Oc then. I would have been the OC, of course._**

**_I will take any ideas or suggestion you are willing to give me,._**

**_If you don't like this chapter, remember that this is my version of the story, and that they are both half asleep right now._**

**_I do not have a beta, and this is hot off the press, so for any mistakes I am sorry. I try my best._**

**_If you want to be my beta, just say so in review, or PM. I have never had a beta before, so I have_**

**_No idea how to work that. It may be easier through email that the site, I don't know._**

**_ANyway, I hope you love it, And I demand ten reviews before the next chapter is posted, I'll try to get it in by friday,_**

**_But, hey, no promises. I do go to school, and it is HMSA time._**

**_Alright, right, Well._**

**_Love Ya!_**

**_Have a Nice aDay!_**

**_ANd remember i wrote this at 9:00p.m. for you guys._**

**_Lot's Of Love ._**

**_Tricia_**

**_P.S. Sorry about the spacing, i fixed it twice then gave up._**


	3. Eh, I'll give it to you anyway

**_Disclaimer: I don not own Secret Circle, Cassie, or Nick. Do you own Nick? If you do, I would like to Buy him. How Much? Name your Price?_**

**_Oh, and this chapter sucks. If I get one review telling me it does not, I'll continue. If you review, tel me what you would pay to own Nick._**

**_The BEst will get featured in my next author ._**

Then suddenly the world was spinning, and I knew this was a dream.

Faces and places flashed through my mind. Diana looking heart-broken,

Faye laughing wickedly, a guard dog snapping at some one in a pumpkin patch,

blood going down a drain, the silhouette of a person hanging from the ceiling,

a hair raising scream, a ring with a black stone, and blood, lot's of blood.

Suddenly, I knew I was not alone.

Nick was standing beside me, the new gold cord stretched between us. He reached for my hand, holding on to me firmly, not letting go. I did the same.

And then then he was gone, too. Slipping away from me into a black hole.

More images came to me then. Two paths lay before me, a cross roads of sorts.

Then I was at a graveyard, standing alone in the falling rain, staring at a fresh grave, unable to look at the head stone, afraid of what I would see.

I turned away, to see a rose bush growing before my eyes, a single red beauty blooming. I was than in a strange house, one I didn't know,

looking down at my hand to see a smooth jeweled ring, silver and of many different types of blue stones.

My hair was carefully arranged around me, falling down in curling waves, longer than it was now, nearly to past my upper thighs'.

I was wearing a dress suit, with black leather pumps. I looked up to a mirror in front of me, to see myself looking nearly ten older than

I should. Tears were running down my face, and I realized that though I was seeing things through my future selfs body, I had no control of actions.

I, or the future me, was sobbing harder now, leaning against a granite counter top. It occurred to me I was in a kitchen. She staggered to a drawer, and drew out a long, slim knife.

She then turned, and made her way up the stairs, swaying with every step.

Gradually, the stairs ended, opening to a long, rich hall. All of the doors were would,

real, solid oak, carved with a master piece. She walked down this hall t the very end, and opened a door with led to a slimmer, more private hall. There were only three small

doors on this hall. She went to the second, which opened into a closet, a rather large one.

She pushed pass all the clothes, and made her way into a bathroom.

All this time, her crying had been subdued, but now it returned with a vengeance.

She stepped into the shower, all her clothes still on, and turned the water on

freezing. She slipped to the floor, and pushed off her jacket, as if trying to feel more of the frigid onslaught.

I could feel the cold through her, feel how it soothed the pain she was feeling.

I was suprized and shocked when she took the slim to her right arm, and just held it there.

Feeling the cold metal against her arm. "I have a choice," she muttered. "He would have wanted me to be happy.

Now I am," she said this low, trying to convince herself of it, " I never really had a choice, I wish I could have known!" at this she became impossible to understand, saying a word here or there, none of them connected, or made any sense to me.

Then I felt her move her hand, the knife still in it, in a gentle slashing motion,

making a thin line of blood just under her elbow, on the inside of her arm. Many other

pale scars were here, as on the other arm. Never farther tan half way down .

The cold shower washed the small amount of blood right down the drain.

!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!

Cassie awoke with a start, gasping for breath. She was lying on a bed, which was not her own, in a room, which was not her own, next to a boy, who very much wanted to be her own.

She looked up and met Nick's worried gaze. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice of love and compassion, the worry still clouding his gaze. Tight lines were on his fore head, and around his mouth. "I'm fine. What happened?" her voice was pale and weak, she felt terribly tired.

"You fainted, just a moment ago, as I was helping you in," some of the worry

had left his eyes, and a few of the lines had smoothed, but he was still concerned.

"Only a moment ago?" she was shocked, the odd dream was already fading, and it had felt like hours. The only one still fresh in her mind was the last. "Oh, Nick!" she cried,

throwing herself at him, and burrying her face in his shoulder. He was startled, but he

held her close and whispered soothing nothings in her ear.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This time Cassie really woke up.

She jerked and sat straight up in bed, breathing hard. "What the hell", she muttered under her breath.

She was still in her clothes from yesterday. Her math book was on the bed, and a container of Ben&Jerry's was sitting melted on the floor.

It was time to wake up, time to go to school. Time to take a shower.

!#$!#$$!#$#!#$!#$##$##$#!#$$!#$%$#$##$%#$%^$#$%$^%$^%$%^$&*^$%&^%*&^%$&^%*&^(&(*)&)(*UIOKLUUILHJLI:UOYOIOUHUYK

She was sitting in class.

She had successfully avoided Nick the entire day, and now all she had to do was get home before he could see her.

As soon as the bell rang, she ran. And kept running.

**_Yeah, I know. This one is really confusing and bad._**

**_You know, This was not supposed to be a dream. It became a dream after some one reviewed it and mentioned it sounding like a dream._**

**_Read my Author's note up there._**

**_Oh, and I am going to have a Contest!_**

**_Details will are posted on my profile. Check it out._**

**_Lot's of Love,_**

**_Tricia_**


	4. I hope this one is better!

**Okay! Here it is! I have been really sick recently, and that is why it took so long to update. Plus, I wanted this one to be better than the last. Slight Lemon Alert! Warning! If you don't like them, skip over it.**

**Remember, only a slight lemon. I got a little more graphic in their kissing then I intended. Hope you like it , ENJOY!**

When she finally made it home, Nick was sitting on the door step, talking with her grand mother, and holding a large sun flower, her favorite.

When she got to the foot of the steps, they both looked up and just stared at her, as if wondering how long it would take her to crack under their pressure.

Her grandmother brook the staring contest first.

She looked at Cassie reproachfully, yet with laughter in her eyes.

"Do you have a proper explanation for why this young man has had to sit on the sit outside waiting for you?" her grandmother said, the laughter merely growing.

Cassie chose not to answer.

"What on Earth are you doing here!?!?" Cassie screamed at Nick.

He didn't say anything, just sat their looking cool as a cucumber.

"Well, I'll be inside if you need me, Cassie dear," her grandmother said, heading toward the door, "oh, and Nick dear? Don't give up on this one, she might be feisty,

but so was I at her age". And with that her grandmother went inside.

"What are you doing here, Nick?" Cassie asked again, but with a note of calm in her voice.

"I missed you, I really did" Nick spoke softly, barely audible.

"What do you want Nick?" Cassie voice was now as soft as his, both nearly fearing to speak loudly, afraid to spoil the moment.

"I want you. You are all I want now. I can't imagine not being aloud to kiss you, and hold your hand, tell you how much I love you, every day, for the rest of my life.

I want you, Cassie. I want you to be mine for now and always. I want to be able to say you're mine. You picked me. But, that cant happen, because you don't want it to.

I know you felt just as much as I did, the Passion, the Love, the Lust, the Hunger, the Wanting more. What I felt was not one-sided, I could feel something holding us together,"

here he paused, his beautiful icy, blue eyes blazing with emotion," I've thought about this a lot. I want us to get married one day. I want to sleep next to you every night till

I die. I want you to not ashamed of us, of our first kiss, and of every other sure to come. I love with all my heart. More than life itself. I need you more than food and water

and air. In short, I need you, I love you, I want you, and I want us to be together for the rest of our lives," here he stopped. He took a deep breath and looked deeply into

Cassie's eyes.

"I-I-I-I-I I'm not ready for that kind of commitment, Nick. I don't know if I love you or not. These feeling are just to new to me. I don't know what I'm feeling. And I don't know if

I'm ready to find out. I'm sorry if this hurts you. But I have to be honest. I'm kind of shocked. You just told all about how much you love me, and I only just considered it

A possibility to have these feeling for you yesterday, after you kissed me. We haven't even had our first date yet, and you already know you're in love with me. It's a bit

intimidating, really. The dance is tonight, and I intend to go with you. But, for the sake of everything, can we just have fun and let me get to know you?" she felt slightly

desperate as she said this, worried this would change his mind, but, alas, her fears were unfounded.

"Of course. I'll pick you at eight. Until then", and with that he leaned forward and kissed her solidly upon the lips, pouring out his love and devotion for her, until she

was dizzy with it. And then, suddenly, he deepened the kiss, tilting her back slightly, pulling her closer to himself.

She could feel his arms around her, holding her tightly. His warmth was so tempting, making her want to be closer still, so she stepped up to him,

and pressed her own body even closer to his, her arms wrapping around his neck and shoulders, snaking their way into his hair. She grabbed fist fulls

of his hair, and opened his mouth with her own. slipping her tongue inside his mouth, beginning a battle for dominance. She moaned into mouth,

feeling him respond pleasurably.

Some how or another, she ended up pressed against her front door, her legs around his waist, touching every part of him she could get her hands on,

his just as wild and bold. Their passion was intense, unbelievably so. One of his hand slid under the hem of her shirt, and went no farther than her stomach,

just feeling how soft her skin was. Cassie took one of his hands from her body, and pulled it up to her chest, right where she wanted it most. They both moaned at the contact,

Nick roughly grabbing her there, kneading, switched both hands to under her shirt, feeling and relishing, noting how hard her nipples were, and how much he wanted more.

Cassie ground herself into him, feeling how much he was enjoying this, feeling how much she was enjoying this herself. And now, she knew she lusted for him, by how he turned her body to fire,

and how alive he made her feel. She could feel a new cord holding them together, much stronger than the one between her and Adam, that one was silver, and this one was gold.

Connecting them from heart to heart.

She knew this was not right, the timing was all wrong, so, she made herself stop.

She pulled away, panting, but Nick just continued, making his way down her neck, her collar bone, stopping at her shirt collar.

"Nick, Nick", she panted out trying to get his attention.

"Cassie", he groaned, not yet pulling way his hands, or his mouth from her body.

"We need to stop, this shouldn't happen right now", Cassie tried to tell him.

Finally, he pulled away, and they slowly disentangled themselves. They both knew exactly where they had been going, and Cassie was right, they weren't ready.

"I'm sorry", Nick muttered, trying not to let it show how much the fact that she wanted to stop had hurt him. SHe was fooled. She didn't see.

"Don't be," Cassie soothed softly.

"I'll pick you up at eight, then," he leaned forward, and gave her a light kiss on the cheek.

It was enough.

Cassie went inside, and put her stuff down.

She realized how late she was, and that she needed to get going if she was going to be ready on time.

Just as she was heading down the stairs, she saw her grandmother come in from the porch with Nick's forgotten flower.

She saw her grandmother put it in a vase, and then leave it in her bed room next to her bed.

Her grandmother saw her, and just smiled at her, as if she knew what had happened. She did. She had watched.

!#$%$#!#$#!#$%$#!#$%$#!#$%^$##$%%$#!#$%$#!#$%$#!#$%$#!#$%^$#!#$%$#!#$%$#!#$%^%$##$%$#

Nick made his way down to the beach, and then he sat and thought about nothing at all, watching the sun set.

As the day faded, he thought of how it was her who deepened the kiss, and suddenly, he was smiling.

He had hope.

**Okay, hope you liked it. Review! Tell me what you think! **

_**This chapter is dedicated to everyone who answered last chapter.**_

**Lot's of love,**

**Tricia**

**P.s. What would how would you kill Faye? Tell me.**


	5. The one you've been waiting for

_**Thank you for all the wonderful input. But I was a wimp, and couldn't decide. So this is what we ended up with. This chapter is 1,562 words before the authors note. I wasn't really sure how to end this, so I just stopped when they fell asleep. There is torture in this chapter, so if you can't handle that, I suggest that you don't read this chapter. For those of you who want to skip the torture scenes, or just want a recap, there is an summary at the end. And yes, I know I suck for not updating.**_

As I reached the front door, I was hesitant.

I had a bad feeling, a horrible feeling.

I tried to shrug it off, but the second I tried to put my foot out the door, I felt like the world was spinning. Suddenly, I was sick and feverish. I couldn't breathe. I lost my footing, and fell backwards into the house with a mildly loud_ thump._

The back of my head made contact with the stairs, and the room danced. Sparks lit up in front of my eyes, and my vision was filled with black spots. Everything had a dark shimmery texture to it.

Breathing hurt. My breath being dragged in was rough and painful. Not even.

I lay there for moments, but it felt like hours. My grandmother rushed into view and saw me on the ground, a slightly dreamy expression on my face. She tried to help me sit up, but my ribs protested, screaming their views. My face was contorted in agony.

Somehow or another, we made it up the stairs into my room. My grandmother left me for a few minutes, after insuring that I wouldn't pass out. I had an impression of her making phone calls, telling everyone that I was in no shape to go the dance. I hit my head, I heard repeated and repeated. No visitors, she announced firmly after the door had a good pounding put to it. She came back to me, and had me drink a large mug of tea.

She told me to try to sleep, so I did.

I awoke much later to the sound of screams.

I was still feverish, and couldn't really understand a thing that was going on. Screaming, and screaming, and more screaming still. It hurt my head, so I turned over and tried to bury my head under my pillow. This went on for who knows how long. It was the sound of broken glass that finally woke me up from this dreamland of fever dreams, where nothing mattered.

More glass shattered, and the house shook. I made myself stand up, but I was so tired, and just wanted to sleep. I leaned on the walls to keep my balance as I made my way down the stairs. The screaming started up again, and this time it really started to make sense. But I was still stuck in this stupor I couldn't shake.

It finally came to my notice that everything was bathed in a red light.

I entered the kitchen, still swaying dangerously, my vision blurred.

The table was over turned, and I tripped over it. Falling to my knees with a bang, I put my hands out to steady myself, and came into contact with shattered jars. My hands were sliced, throbbing gently as my blood spilled out. I looked up, and saw my grandmother lying on the floor, in a pool of her own blood, long hair splayed in all directions.

On the other side of the room, was a burned and blackened thing. It's, hands I guess you could say, were clenched on my mothers shoulders. She looked terrified, and yet deliriously happy. The mixture was frightening, and my her familiar face look foreign.

The Thing dropped her, and turned toward me. She hit the floor hard, not looking as if she knew what was going on. Her eyes were open, and yet she saw nothing. It was then I realized just how alone I was.

The Thing took another step towards me, looking as if it took effort, and yet the Thing was entirely menacing in every way. It could have been a man at one point, but it wasn't now. Eyes that I couldn't see were piercing me with their stair. It raised it's hand toward me, and I was lifted up, my feet dangling, not touching the floor. I was so dizzy, and so tired. I just wanted to sleep. I hoped this was a dream. I couldn't really feel anything because this was so nightmarish.

I heard a banging on the front door, as if people were trying to fight their way in. That was when the fog lifted just enough for me to begin to fight. I started struggling. Twisting and turning every which way. I wanted to scream. The Thing reached me, then. It touched my face with one of it's long, blackened, could-have-been-a-finger digits. The finger traced my cheek bone. And then the burning started. I was in so much pain. This Thing was causing my pain.

And then the pain stopped. And the Thing spoke. It asked, "Where are the tools?". I had no idea what it was talking about. I think I voiced that thought, though I'm not sure. The Thing didn't like that. It started the pain again, which had me wishing for death.

The pain lasted a lot longer this time. And then it stopped again. The Thing spoke, "Where are the tools?".

"I don't know!" I screamed in response. And then the pain started again, and I was dropped on the floor. Withering and screaming, begging for death. I knew, some where in the back of my mind, that I was lying in broken glass, but I couldn't stop moving to save my life, and so the glass continued cutting me, and I continued bleeding. I was screaming my throat raw.

All this time there had been banging on the door. The banging stopped for a moment, but then resumed with more force. I heard something that sounded almost like an explosion, but I was too far lost to the pain at that point to really care.

I was still screaming, and the pain was still horrible, when suddenly it all stopped. I curled into a ball, and just lay there, breathing. I wasn't really in the moment, and everything was still so foggy. Someone reached toward me, and I screamed, backing away into a corner. Trying to stay away.

There was talking, and what could have been an argument. I wasn't really sure. I think I was crying. I don't know for sure.

All of them scared me. To me, it was as if all of them were Things. Blackened and burned Things, that caused pain. I didn't want any of them to come near me.

And then one of them knelt in front of me, and held out an open hand. He didn't try to touch me, and he didn't try to make me do anything. He was speaking to me, and it was soft. His eyes were kind, they didn't mean me harm. The words were still a jumble that didn't mean anything. Sound came in and out. I gradually came to accept that He, at least, meant me no harm. I wasn't too sure about the rest of them.

I raised my hand, sluggishly, and placed it in his.

He kept talking, trying to explain to me. He made a move towards me, and I panicked, darting back, pressing myself against the the wall, having dropped his hand.

And so he started again. Trying to get me to move, to listen. I don't know what on earth he said, but it sounded kind, and soft.

After an indeterminable amount of time, he tried to touch me again, and this time I let him. He scooped me up into his arms, sensing that I couldn't really walk. He carried toward the others, and I cringed, pressing myself closer to him. I didn't want to go with them. He understood, and stayed back, telling them, I think, to stay away for now. They spoke, back and forth, for awhile. All the time me resting comfortably in his arms.

They all began walking in the same direction, him lagging behind. They all walked into a dark house, and I tensed when he began to follow them. He sensed my discomfort, and paused, whispering something that sounded good, even though didn't mean anything yet. I trusted him. I knew he wouldn't hurt me. But they might.

He called to them, and one of them, a blonde girl, came out. They spoke, and apparently something was agreed too. I don't know what. He continued walking, always talking to me. We came to another house, this one dark as well. He marched up the steps and through the unlocked door.

We came down a hall, and into a sitting room. He sat down on the couch, me in his lap, and turned me toward him. He examined every visible inch of me, growing anxious with each bit of damage he found on my skin. He moved me to the seat next to him, and stood up. I grabbed his hand, not want ting to be alone. He told me with his eyes that he would be right back. I let his hand go reluctantly.

He came back about a minute later, with a plastic box I knew to be a first aid kit.

He cleaned every cut and scratch with the utmost care, even removing a piece of glass or two. He didn't skip any of them, and covered them up with bandaid or bandages as needed. He then pulled a comb out of his pocket and began untangling my hair.

After that he pulled me against his chest, and we both fell asleep on that couch.

_**Show of hands, who wants to kill me? Everyone? I expected as much. **_

_**What happened in this chapter: Cassie gets hit with by a spell put on her front door as she tries to leave to get ready for the dance. So, she doesn't go to the dance. Black John comes back and kills her Grandmother, tortures her mother, and tortures Cassie. She sleeps through a lot of screaming. The Circle sees' what is wrong and breaks down the door. Cassie is freaked out, and in shock, so she doesn't really understand what is going on. Someone, the reader doesn't know who, calms her down enough to get her out of the house. That same person falls asleep with Cassie on a couch. Again, you don't get to know who it is. **_

**_Review with your guess of who calmed her down. My apologies for not updating earlier. There were so many good choices, I ended up with a combination. You'll hear what happened at the dance next chapter. _**

**_Hope you liked it,_**

**_Dustfinger's Cheering Section_**


	6. You decide

_**Disclaimer: **_**_I don't own The Secret Circle. _**

I woke up with Adam's arms around me, both of us on his sofa.

I stood up, fighting away from him and started screaming bloody murder. He tried to grab me, hold me still,

but I fought like a wild cat and punched him on the nose, before running out of the house and down to the beach,

still screaming all the way.

I noticed my feet were bare when they hit the sand. That didn't affect me much. But it did help me stop screaming.

I kept running, ad hit the icy water.

I didn't know what I was trying to do, but I had to get away. The island wasn't safe anymore.

at first I tried to swim, but eventually I just let the ocean do with me as it willed.

I swallowed a lot of water, and got held under for long periods of time, but none of it seemed to kill me.

Faintly, I could hear someone calling my name on the beach. I couldn't tell who.

Instead, I just threw myself into the next wave.

This one was stronger than the others, the hercules of tides. I remember hitting the sandy bottom, then getting

caught in something that felt like a washing machine. Time lost all meaning, as did direction. I couldn't tell you anything.

After a bit of that, I stopped holding my breath.

Water flooded my lungs, and my vision went black. Everything hurt, stung.

Though I knew it to be morning, it felt like midnight.

As soon as I thought that, arms secured themselves around me.

But it was too late, and I blacked out completely.

…

I came to with a pair of hands beating the salt water from my body, a mouth pressed against mine urgently.

I choked, and gasped, and then started vomiting up sea water.

Warm, familiar hands held back my hair. Gentle hands.

As soon as I could breathe properly, Nick pulled me into his arms.

He was soaking wet, and shivering slightly. In fact, he was shaking.

I understood that it wasn't just from the cold.

"Why?" He questioned me.

"I had to get away, run as far as I could get. I didn't quite think things through," I told Nick.

He laughed bitterly, darkly. "Cassie," he addressed me, "stating lack of thought is a mild descriptive."

We both paused, contemplating what almost just happened.

He spoke first. "Why did you need to run?"

I hesitated. And then decided on the truth. "I woke. And there was Adam."

Nick tensed, understandable. "I screamed," I explained. "I was shocked, and confused."

He waited. "And then?" Nick prompted.

"He grabbed my arm," I hurried on before Nick could get caught up in his anger, " And I saw something."

He waited for my explanation. "The skull is possessing Adam."

For a long time, neither of us spoke.

_**Author's Note:**__** It's short. Four hundred and seventy nine (479) words short. Before I said that I would never post anything less than a thousand words, but I wanted, essentially, to test this story. I needed to know if I could still write this story, after all this time. Also, I needed to see if people still wanted me to write this story. So, I'm going to wait a week. During this week, I'd like you to review. Tell me if you think I should keep going, or if I should hand it other to someone else, or just let it die in peace. If you would like to give it a try, by all means, feel free to tell me that too, along with where you would take this story. Either way, the fate of this story will no longer be in Limbo by next week.**_

_**Over and Out.**_

_**Dustfinger's Cheering Section**_

_**Tricia**_


End file.
